Best part of the CT

[300winmag]

I have the CT Guidebook and since I live in Las Vegas it's only a 12 hour drive there so I'll so it next summer.

BUT, I'm only cherry picking and doing the southern half of the CT. That's because 'coloradans that have thru hiked it once say that they did not like the scenery or the horses and ATVs that are permitted on parts of the northern half of the trail.

As one who has hiked in the "mule dung dust" of the Grand Canyon's trails I avoid trails heavily used by stock.

Eric

[wandering_bob]

I just returned from finishing segments 1 through 6 (to Breckenridge) and was very disappoiunted with that part of the CT. IMO, it's nothing but a bunch of viewless and pointless ups and downs (PUDs). I could count the number of "views" on one hand and they were all in segment 6.

Kenosha Pass is just a viewless crossing of a busy highway with lots of roadside parking and a fee-based campground. Georgia Pass (on the Continental Divide) is a wide, bare, windy, low-scrub saddle. Neither was worth the climb.

When I mentioned this in Breckenridge, I was informed that the views on the CT don't even start until after you are south of copper Mountain. That means segment 8 at the earliest.

Based on what I experienced, and assuming that segment 7 will be similar, I would recommend to anyone contemplating a CT hike that unless they really want to do every single mile of it, they should totally skip all the pointless ups and downs (and many of them are not little ones) of segments 1 through 7, and simply start segment 8 at the CO-9 trailhead.

According, I decided to come home. If I do return another year, I'll be starting further south. Exactly where will depend on trailhead transportation options.

Wandering Bob

[Mags]

Terrible scenery from before the Copper section on the CT:







Admittedly, the views are more grand around Copper and points south....

But, I thought I'd share a different viewpoint (literally).

[Dogwood]

A bit off topic but if you want some BIG TIME VIEWS and challenging hiking with no bicyclists, horses and fewer people as you hike NOBO/Eastward from Breckenridge/Frisco on the CT cross over to the CDT NOBO and go over Grays Torrey Peaks(14 ers) and hike onto the James Peak Traverse. Can't say any of that is not scenic alpine crest hiking!

[Mags]

A bit off topic but if you want some BIG TIME VIEWS and challenging hiking with no bicyclists, horses and fewer people as you hike NOBO/Eastward from Breckenridge/Frisco on the CT cross over to the CDT NOBO and go over Grays Torrey Peaks(14 ers) and hike onto the James Peak Traverse. Can't say any of that is not scenic alpine crest hiking!

From the CDT ridge walk near James Peak...



From near Gray's... (Avoid the zoo that is Gray's peak if you can though..Damn 14er crowds... )




And from Dogwoods' new favorite loop in RMNP:

[double d]

As Mag's photos point out: Its Colorado, every view is outstanding! I lived in Colorado for many years, once your in the mountains, nothing compares to it.

[Dogwood]

Colorado hiking is for wooses who live in Boulder!

[Dogwood]

Only kidding all you Coloradams! As I look out the window of this coffee shop in Silverthorne CO I see Grays and Torreys peaks in the distance, but my shin splints(and coffee/yipee), and building rain clouds keep me here rather than being up there.

Colorado hiking is spectacular!

Ok lets get OT for a moment. My favorite alpine hikes: Teton Crest Tr(Grand Teton NP), JMT and Sierra High Route(Yosemite and Sequoia/Kings Canyon NPs), White Mnts on the AT in New Hampshire, most of the CDT actually on the Continental Divide through Co, some of the CT, and Glacier NP.

Any others someone would like to mention. Maybe North Cascades?

[handlebar]

I'd add to Dogwood's favs: The PCT thru N. Cascades and in Goat Rocks Wilderness

[Dogwood]

Yeah, Goat Rocks too! Handlebar knows!